Permanently retained cap for pharmaceutical containers



0a. 15, 1935. E. WORTH 2,017,140

PERMANENTLY RETAINED CAP FOR PHARMACEUTICAL CONTAINERS Filed Oct. 17, 1933 gwuentoz E 16 HARLES EUGENE WORTH Patented Oct. 15, 1935 PATENT OFFICE mummy nn'ranmn car roa runnmcnu'rrcar. commas can Eugene Worth, Indianapolis, mu.

Application October 17, 1933, Serial No. 693,961 4 Claims; (01. 221-60) The invention is a pharmaceutical tube closure having a permanently attached closing element, and is more especially a closure for pasty mediciaalpreparations or the like, such as are to a 5 great extent sold in flexible tin or lead tubes, such paste being ejected from the tube by the manual folding or collapsing thereof, and the use of the invention is extended to rigid containers.

It is a primary object to provide a closure for u pharmaceutical containersembodying a cap which is readily manipulated to open the outlet passage without -removing the cap, the passage being likewise instantly closed' by the reverse movements of the cap.

1| It is an important object to provide a closure of this class which is instantly brought to closed position, and which makes a leak proof seal when I closed.

It is a further object to provide a closure of 20 this class by the use of which the contents of the container are directed through the designated outlet without leakage through other parts of the device.

It is also an object to construct a device of this 25 class in a manner to prevent accumulated deposit of the container content in any place other than in the container. 1

The above and other objects are attained by the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates the preferred form of the invention, in closed position as embodied with a conventional pharmaceutical tube container,-the closure and neck of the container being shown 35 in cross section;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken in the proximity of line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 illustrates the device in the same manner as Figure 1, but in open position, the prin-.

cipal part of the container proper being broken Figure 4 is a view corresponding to Figure 3, but shows a modified form of the invention;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view 45 illustrating one manner of constructing the invention for quicker operation;

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken in the proximity of line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Figure '1 is a bottom plan view of the cap part 50 of the invention and is also a sectional view of the container neck taken in the proximity of line 1-1 of Fig. 5;

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken in the proximity of line 8-8 of Figure 9; and, 55 Figure 9 is a. fragmentary sectional view of .the

cap proper taken in the proximity of line 9-4 of Figure 8.

Fig. 10 is a partial and fragmentary sectional 3 w taken in the proximity of line Ill-I0 of 8.

. Similar characters of reference designate similar parts throughout the different views. Referring to Fig. l, the numeral I designates the cap of the device which serves as the movable valve element, said cap being engaged by its 10 threads 2 to the head 3, of the pharmaceutical tube 4. Upon the remote end of said head, first, is formed the male valve seat 5, said head extending diminishingly in the form of the midway conical formation 6, from whence it extends in I the form of the cylinder I to the taper 8 thereof, the extremity of said taper being more abruptly tapered into the conical formation 9. Said conical formations, cylinder and taper being concentrio with said head which is provided with the cap engaged threads ID.

The cap I, is provided with a tapered sleeve extension II, having interior female conical portions I2 and I3, which normally seat upon the conical formations 6 and 9, respectively; a cylinder fitting portion I4 which slidably engages 'the cylinder I; and a female tapered portion I5 which seats upon the taper, 8, simultaneously with the seating of said conical portions upon said conical formations. The tube head 3 is hollow, the tube content outlet channel I6 being formed therethrough.

One .or more ports II, are formed through the face of the taper 8, said ports communicating with said outlet channel, by which operation the ports H are normallycovered andv thus closed by the female tapered portion I 5 of said cap. From the preceding description it will be understood that in turning the cap I upon said tube head the operation of the threads 2 of said cap 7 draws the same into close fitting relation to said. head and valve seat 6 throughout the length thereof.

In this example of the invention the tube 4 contains the-pasty pharmaceutical preparation I8, and when the capv I is turned on the threads I0 to withdrawn position as shown in Fig. 3, it will be obvious thatpressure upon the flexible metallic body of the tube 4 will squeeze the preparation from said tube through the outlet chan- 9 nel I6 and ports I'I, causing same to exude through the hollow cap extension I I, which serves .as a spout from which the preparation is directed to deposit where desired by manually controlling the positions of the device as awhole. I

Still referring to Fig. 3, it will be observed that the cylinder fitting portion H of the cap I, closely fits the cylinder I, in leak proof contact therewith in the withdrawn position of the cap as well as in the tube closing position thereof illustrated in Fig. 1, by which characteristic leakage of the preparation back through said cap is prevented. It will also be obvious in referring to Fig. 1 that the snug fitting relation of the cap extension ll upon the valve seat 5, throughout its length prevents the residual deposit of the preparation beyond the ports H.

To prevent the casual removal of the cap I from the tube head 3, said head is united with the tube proper 4,, by a reduced portion in the form of the neck I9, and said neck is encircled by the skirt 2!! carried by said cap, said skirt terminating in an inwardly disposed flange which abuts the head 3, when said cap is moved to the farthest withdrawn position as illustrated in Fig. 3, making it impossible to withdraw said cap farther than required to give free passage of the preparation through the ports ll.

Fig. 4, illustrates a modified form of the invention, in which the conical formation 6, the cylinder 1, and the taper 8, are omitted. In this form of the invention a post 2| is concentrically united with the tube head 22 by the web 23' in which instance the preparation 24 .is forced through the open spaces 25 in said web, around said post and thence out the remote end of the cap extension in substantially the same manner the preparation exudes as illustrated in Fig. 3. In moving said cap to closed position, the female conical formation 21 of said cap seats on the corresponding conical formation 28 formed on the remote end of said post and closes the end'29 of the cap extension against passage of the preparation therethrough.

Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 illustrate a further modification of the invention as constructed for quicker manipulation of the valve-forming cap 30, said cap being breach-block threaded to the tube head 3|. In bringing this form of the device to closed position, the cap is rotated to non-engaging relation of the threads 32, and is then shoved longitudinally on the head 3|, and then rotated into threaded engagement to close the ports H with said cap as described in connection with Fig. 1 and Fig. 3, and as will be understood by those familiar with breach-block threaded mechanisms.

Fig. 5 and Fig. 7 also illustrate the device as constructed with the inwardly terminating prongs 33, which strike the tube head 3|, when the cap 30 is in withdrawn position and prevent removal of said cap from same.

Fig. 8, illustrates. another modified form of the invention as constructed for quick manipulation, the'bayonet lock slot 34 being formed in be engaged by the inwardly disposed cap lug 36, which is shoved along in said slot parallel to the axial line of said head when said head is shoved longitudinally into approximately tight position, the cap then being turned and carried from the scope of the appended claims; for example, the invention may embody rigid or bottle the form of a closure for lubrication inlets in various forms of machinery, it being therefore understood that the invention is not restricted to the particular examples-and uses herein de- 5 scribed.

The invention claimed is:

1. In combination with a pharmaceutical container or the like, a head formed on such container, said head forming a container outlet 10 channel, a tapered extension formed on the remote end of said head, the exterior of said extension being stepped to smaller size by both co-joined conical surfaces and spaced conical surfaces, the mostremote one of said conical surfaces being more abruptly tapered than the others, said head having a diametrically continuous cylindrical surface, said extension having a port through an intermediate one of said conical surfaces communicating with said chan- 20 nel, the length of said port being less than the length of the respective surface along the axial line of said head, said head having male threads on the container end of said head of greater diameter than the remainder thereof, a cap sur- 25 rounding said head, said cap having threads which engage said male threads and enable the screwing of said cap along on said head, a sleeve like spout formed on said cap, said spout substantially fitting over said tapered extension 30 throughout its length in closed position and having a female conical surface especially fitting the conical surface of said head having said port, and serving to close same, and having a female cylindrical portion which makes a substantially leak-proof joint with the cylindrical portion of said head when said cap is in open position and the side of the head 35 in suitable manner to preventing the leaking of any pharmaceutical product passing through said port, working back between said threads, the more abruptly tapered surface of said cap fitting the more abruptly tapered surface of said head and making a more intensive contact therewith when said cap is in closed position than with any other surface of said head and forming a seal therewith and making a final outside seal therewith of more intensive contact than between any other respective surface of said cap and head.

2. In combination with a pharmaceutical container or the like, a head formed on such container, said head forming a container outlet channel, a tapered extension formed on the remote end of said head, the exterior of said extension being stepped to smaller size by both co-joined 55 conical surfaces and spaced conical surfaces, the most remote one of said conical surfaces being moreabruptly tapered than the others, and the more remote of said surfaces being co-joined, said through an intermediate one of said conical surfaces communicating with said channel, the length of said port being less than the length of the respective surface along the axial line of said head, saidhead having. male threads on the container end of said headof greater diameter than the remainder thereof, a cap surrounding said head, said caphaving threads which engage said male threads and enable the screwing of said cap 7 along on said head, a sleeve-like spout formed on said cap, said spout substantially fitting over said tapered extension-throughout its length in closed position and having a female conical surface especially fitting the conical surface of 75 said head having said port, and'serving to close same, and having a female cylindrical portion which makes a substantially leak-proof joint with the cylindrical portion of said head when said cap is in open position and preventing the leaking of any pharmaceutical product passing through said port, working back, between said threads, the

'more abruptly tapered surface of said cap fitting the more abruptly tapered surface of said head and making a more intensive contact therewith when said cap is in closed position than with any other surface of said head and forming a seal therewith and making a final outside seal therewith of more intensive contact than between any other respective surface of said cap and head.

3, In combination with a pharmaceutical container or the like, a head formed on such container, said head forming a container outlet channel, a tapered extension formed on the remote end of said head, theexterior of said extension being stepped to smaller size by both co-joined conical surfaces and spaced conical surfaces, the most remote one of said conical surfaces being more abruptly tapered than the others, and the more remote of said surfaces being co-joined, said head having a diametrically continuous cylindrical surface between two of said conical surfaces, said extension having a port through an intermediate one of said conical surfaces communicating with said channel, the length of said port being less than the length of the respective surface along the axial line of said head, a cap surrounding said head, a sleeve-like spout formed on said cap, said spout substantially fitting over said tapered extension throughout its length in closed position and having female conical surfaces especially fitting the conical surface of said head having said port, and serving to close same, and having a female cylindrical portion which makes a substantially leak-proof joint with the cylindrical portion of said head when said cap is in open position and preventing the leaking of any pharmaceutical product passing through said port, said cap having a more abruptly tapered surface fitting the more abruptly tapered surface of said head and making a more intensive contact therewith when said cap is in closed position than with any other surface of said head and forming a seal therewith and making a final outside seal therewith of more intensive contact 5 than between any other respective surface of said cap and head, and means to draw and retain said cap in closed position.

4. In combination with a pharmaceutical container or the like, a head formed on such con- 10 tainer, said head forming a container outlet channel, a tapered extension formed on the remote end of said head, the exterior of said extension being stepped to smaller size by both co-joined head, a cap surrounding said head, said cap having a sleeve-like spout formed on said cap, said spout substantially fitting over said tapered extension throughout its length in closed position and having a female conical surface especially fitting the conical surface of said head having said port, and serving to close same, and having a female cylindrical portion which makes a substantially leak-proof joint with the cylindrical portion of said head when said cap is in open position and preventing the leaking of any pharmaceutical product passing through said port, the most abruptly tapered surface of said cap fittingthe more abruptly tapered surface of said head and making a more intensive contact therewith when said cap is in closed position than with any other surface of said head and forming a seal therewith and making a final outside seal therewith of more intensive contact than between any other respective surface of said cap and head.

CHARLES EUGENE WORTH. 

